A Letter to the Mystery School

To Jean Houston who had the breadth of vision and stoutness of heart to begin a Mystery School and a Human Capacities Training Program, both of which have rebirthed me into my larger story and The Larger Story.   I would not be alive today without your teachings.  You have brought many amazing people into my life: your first partner in the work, Robin Van Doren who has mentored me into a more daring life, a more heartfelt view—who advised me to fall in love with the Muse of Poetry (and I finally did).  Your present colleague on the great path, Margaret Nash Rubin who teaches that if we all ‘loved enough’, the tragedies need not have happened, but oh the depths they bring when they do happen.  Elizabeth Rothenberger a woman of great soul and clarity, who sums up that which is nearly impossible to encapsule.  To Paul Briggs who in his deep simplicity is the gateway to much complexity expressed in music, in song.  Gerry and Denise Dignan whose love of each other and the world has taught me on our long car rides from the Midwest to the East—who still teach me about following your dream with your whole heart and unconditional generosity.  To Fonda Joyce who truly loves the Mystery School—whose irreverence and beneficence saved me on many a dark day.  To Florence and Diane Kozinski, Anne George, who taught me body magic and soul food.  To Bridget Reynolds for showing me a lionesses courage and great heart.  To Trish Broersma who epohnas her great Celtic wisdom and taught me horse sense. To Roger Abrhamson who mensched us into being, caring for our needs.  To Gay Luce who taught a very shielded me to experience energy work.  To Bob Masters who taught me through his psych-physical exercises what it was to live in a body, how to consciously go into trance and how to contact Sekhmet, a very powerful ally.  To so many people who have listened to me, encouraged me, prodded me, accepted me, challenged me, comforted me, even confronted me—shown me small glimpses of their lives which has enriched my poetry immensely.   There are so many of you, thank the gods and goddesses, so many of you who do go forth where the enterprise is the journey into the numinous, the divine, the Great Mystery.  To all the dogs and cats and parrots who also came along, the snakes who slid in and insects who buzzed, flitted, bit, and lit the way….The trees and flowers and lake and stars that witnessed and heard.  All are a part of Mystery School and I give thanks to you.